Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Blanton Still Not 100 Percent

Joe Blanton pitched tonight for the first time since April 23 because of a medial impingement in his right elbow.

He still felt it.

“I think it’s still a little cranky,” Rich Dubee said. “But at the same time I think he’s a little rusty, too. We’ll see. He’s definitely not 100 percent. He says it’s pitchable. There are certain pitches that at times he’ll feel it, and at other times he won’t. We’ll see.”

Dubee said he is not concerned.

“We’ll see what he feels like tomorrow,” he said. “Tomorrow and his side day will be good tests for him.”

Blanton allowed eight hits, three runs, two walks and struck out two in five innings. It certainly seemed like the elbow bothered him.

How did it feel in his first start back?

“Not bad,” he said. “I was a little rusty in the first couple, but I kind of cleaned up after that.”

Did he feel anything in the elbow?

“First outing back is always a little bit different,” he said. “Trying to clean up my mechanics a little bit. It’s going to feel a little bit different to start off.”

I think last night was a perfect example of Charlie’s one weak spot. He preferred to go with a veteran who was not 100% over a young kid who he doesn’t trust yet. They were able to work it out because of defense and some timely hitting but Charlie is going to have to eventually trust his entire roster.
Well, expect for Baez maybe, but you know what I mean.

The catch-22 in all this, is that most likely the Phils are trying to shop Blanton for the trade deadline. So obviously they need to try and “showcase” him as much as possible. Last night was really a somewhat typical Blanton outing.

Ricky Bo said he thinks Blanton saw the Worley was pitching so well and decided that he (Blanton) better get back soon or he’d be in the bullpen.

I hope that the Phils do send Worley down to LV when necessary and don’t have him linger in the bullpen and loss his mojo.

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